Apparatus for catalytically treating hydrocarbon oil



June 16, 1931. G, EGLOFF 1,810,648

I APPARATUS Fon cATALYTloALLY TREATING aYnRocAnoN on original Filed Aug. 16, 1922 Y l zl/z M655.: auf fa zfyzoff Patented June 16, 1931 GUSTAV EGLOFF, F GHICAGO,. ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO 'UNIVERSAL OIL IERODU'C'ISy COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH. DAKOTA v APPARATUS FOR CATALYTICALLY TREATING HYDROCARBON OIL Application -led elevational view of the apparatus with parts in section.

Referring to the drawing, the oil to be treated is introducedy from any convenient of the water-jacketing stance such extraneous source through the line 1, and is charged by means of the pump 2 through the line 3 controlled by the valve 4, to a still 5 mounted in a furnace 6, which is preferably heated lby gas burner 7. In the upper portion of the still is positioned a rotating cylinderv 8 supported by suitable bearings 9 at each side of the still so'that the cylinder which is mounted upon a shaft 10 may be rotated by means of the pulley 11 from any suitable source of power not shown. It may be necessary to water-jack or otherwise cool the bearings in the still which support the shaft 10, as the temperatures will be high in this portion of the apparatus. The showing equipment for bearings has been omitted from the drawing for the purpose of simplifying the showing.

The oil is maintained at a level in the still and there is introduced thereto through the pipe 12, pump 13, and line 14, a catalytic subas aluminumchloride. This substance ,is introduced into the still by means of a circular, perforated pipe; or rose 15, which serves to cause the cata-y lytic substance to be forced into and topercolate or bubble up througa-the body of the oil. During the introduction of the catalytic substance the oil is heated, the vapors evolved passing off to the dome 16 positionedat the top of the still and into the vapor line 17 regulated by valve 18. The oil vapors are directed through theline 17 to a condenser coil 19 positioned in the condenser box 20 being discharged from the coil through'a line 21 regulated by valve 22 to the receiving tank 23. The receiving tank is equipped with a pressure relief valve 24 a bottom of August 16, 1922, Serial No. 582,296.- Renewed September 1,1928.

liquid draw off valve 25,pressure gauge 26 and liquid level gaugel27, this latterequip-v ment being important in the controlling of the pressure maintained upon the'apparatus, and the valve 25 serving to' draw oii the distillate formed. `Into the bottom of the still is tapped a residual draw ofi' line -28 which is regulated by valve 29 whereby the heavier residual substances may be withdrawn from the still as desired.

In operation the oil to be treated is charged, as explained, and maintained at a level in the still. The catalytic substance is introduced in regulated quantity while the oil is heated to a cracking temperature and the pressure, of the evolved vapors maintained :to produce the best cracking conditions for conversion. During the treatment of the oil, besides the vaporization of hydrocarbon substances, there will be a subliming `of the catalytic material, and portions thereof carried with the hydrocarbon vapors into the top of the still. It is for the purpose -of precipitating the catalytic substance that the cylinder or `roller 8 is positioned in thestill. The cylinder 8 is cooled by water vintrodueedtlirough the end of the shaft 8 :through the line 32. Thus when the vapors arise rom the oil body andl come in contact with the cooled rotating cylinder, both the higher boiling point oils `and the aluminum chloride will be separated from the vapors, a .part of the catalytic substance collecting upon the surface of the cylinder and removed therefrom by a'scraper orblade 33, which is positioned at the top of the still and in contacting relation with the cylinder 8.

` Thus the precipitated catalytic substance will biscraped from the surface of the cylinder and will fall back into' the oil where it the y will again take art in the reaction or conl version taking' p ace.

The oil vapors which rise into the dome16 in the top of the still pass if -through the line 17,l and after being subjected to a condensing action in the coil 19, are collected as liquid distillate in the receiving tank 23.

It is awell known fact that the cracking of hydro-carbon oil in the presenceof a. catalytic material such as aluminum chloride produces a higher grade distillate, but` difiiculty has been experienced in preventing the catalytic substance from passing over with the vapors to the receiver Where it must be subsequently separated from the oil and returned to be reused in the conversion zone. By the use of a cooled cylinder as shown, the greater part of the vaporous catalytic substance can be separated out and returned to the oil body and in addition to this feature the higher boiling point hydrocarbon oils are prevented from passing over to the receiver with the lighter distillates.

The temperature of the cooling cylinder may be regulated by the Water which is permitted to flow therethrough. By carefully controlling the temperature and pressure conditions in the system from 30% 'to 60% of high grade distillate can be obtained from mid continentgas oil of approximately 32 Baume operating underv pressures ranging from 50 to 300 lbs. The distillate is of. high quality and ranges in Baum from 48 to 52.

I claim as my invention: y

An apparatus for catalytically treating hydrocarbon oils in combination with a still,

of cooling means positioned within the vapor' space of the still, means for charging oil and means .for charging catalytic material to the still, means for removing precipitated catalyst from the cooling means, and means for condensing the vaporous constituent.

GUSTAV EGLOFF. 

